In this collection of surreal narratives, ordinary human relationships are pushed to their breaking points through bizarre, uncanny, and often grotesque circumstances. The protagonist in each story faces a reality that shifts beneath their feet, forcing them to navigate absurd social contracts and physical impossibilities. Budnitz employs a variety of narrative frameworks, ranging from the domestic to the nightmarish, to explore the fragility of the human condition. These characters must contend with forces that defy logic, whether they are familial obligations, societal expectations, or the literal transformation of their own bodies.

This collection is frequently characterized by its stylistic debt to the tradition of dark, subversive fables. The work is noted for its ability to balance technical precision with a penchant for the bizarre and the destabilizing. Readers and critics often compare the author's voice to that of Angela Carter, citing a similar commitment to the uncanny. The stories are generally viewed as a series of sharp, indelible snapshots that challenge the reader's perception of reality. The collection remains a distinct entry in contemporary American fiction for its refusal to abandon narrative sense despite its surrealist leanings.